Tragic consequences
A missed opportunity in Maine
Since our last issue, some disturbing news has emerged from Maine, where Army reservist Robert Card carried out the worst mass shooting in the state’s history last October. A post-mortem analysis of Card's brain by Boston University's CTE Center has revealed evidence of severe brain damage that could have stemmed from his exposure to training blasts in the military.
The finding is consistent with a postmortem study on Ryan Larkin, a combat medic and instructor who taught Navy SEALs how to breach buildings with explosives. Larkin committed suicide in 2017; his brain showed a pattern of “scarring unique to service members who’ve endured repeated explosions,” according to NBC News.
Adding to the frustration, an independent commission reviewing the Card case just determined that the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office had probable cause to start a “yellow flag” process, which allows a judge to temporarily remove an individual’s guns during a psychiatric health crisis. Five weeks before the shooting, law enforcement responded to reports that Card was suffering from such a crisis after he assaulted a friend and threatened to shoot up the local armory. But instead of moving Card into protective custody, no action was taken.
Red and yellow flag laws, otherwise known as Extreme Risk Protection Orders or ERPOs, only work if they’re properly enforced. As Police Chief Andy Mills of Palm Springs, California, notes in the Desert Sun:
“Based on threat management research, we can proactively take guns from those likely to inflict violence on others. California implemented Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVRO). GVROs are a positive first step. These laws can take guns out of the hands of those likely to harm others. We know that taking guns from unstable people has prevented acts of mass violence in California. The police and courts must use them.” (emphasis added)
Red flag laws show promise in preventing suicides like Larkin’s or mass shootings like Card’s. At 97Percent, we’re focused on how to help states, communities, and individuals best use these laws to prevent a mental health crisis from spiraling into gun violence.